ASSOCIATIONS: 1 PRACTICES
The organization "New Agriculture New Generation" aims to create career and entrepreneurship opportunities for youth in the Agrifood sector in Greece. The organization was established under the initiative and with the founding support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), as part of its "Recharging The Youth" program.
New Agriculture New Generation, committed to its goal to act as an innovation catalyst of the Greek agri-food ecosystem and to support the empowerment of young people and the revitalization of the agri-food sector through strategic initiatives, has designed and implemented the innovative acceleration program "Agroanelixi - Farm2Product". The aim of the accelerator is to support businesses of the agri-food sector to form a new business mentality and to develop new innovative food products, through sustainable business efforts.
Beneficiaries, participating in an intensive acceleration program, receive both practical and theoretical knowledge, business training, mentoring, personalized consulting, as well as financial support for the development of new products and services. After the completion of the program they are able and have received the appropriate guidance to create their own innovative products and place them on the market.
The businesses that took part in “Agroanelixi” participated in an intensive 9-month acceleration program, during which they received theoretical and practical business knowledge, stimuli and guidance, for the creation of new differentiated products, their placement on the market and the acquisition of features that will enhance their exports, as well as consulting from experienced market executives based on their needs. At the same time, for their further development, as well as product development, they received financial support from the organization "New Agriculture New Generation".
Furthermore, the companies going through a process of progress evaluation received additional financial support of up to 5,000 euros for the purchase of equipment and services, while five of them received financial support of 3,000 euros for the development of their differentiated products with the support of the organization.
More specifically, each company received financial support of up to 700 euros for the certification of its products. The two companies that noted the most progress received a scholarship for their participation in the Agrifood Exports 360o online training program for the exports of agri-food products.
The accelerator "Agroanelixi" is implemented by the organization "New Agriculture New Generation" through the founding grant of Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).
"Agroanelixi" program so far has supported 25 businesses and cottage industries from 17 prefectures throughout Greece. In addition to business training, guidance and personalized consulting, beneficiaries have received a total of 123,500 euros in financial support for the development of new services and products. Also, because of the program and its implementation, 23 new food products have been developed and are currently on the market.
Beneficiaries in addition to their participation in a multitude of actions with the aim of creating differentiated products, have gained significant knowledge and experience. In this way, the conditions are created for the formation of a new business mentality in the country as well as the development of new food products through sustainable business efforts.
Based on their performance and development within the program, participants receive micro-financing to support the implementation of their business plan, develop new products, certify their production process and shape an outreach strategy for their products. This micro-financing covers direct costs of suppliers.
Finally, through the acceleration program companies can get in touch with experts from Rutgers University in the USA, which has long experience and expertise in the agri-food sector.
